Our final night galas at Engage! are always worth the wait. This is the culmination of our guest creative director’s vision of the destination, trends taking place around the world in fashion and design, and an entertainment lineup that keeps guests up for most of the night. At Engage!23: The Belmond Sicily Experience, Vincenzo Dascanio found his inspiration for the event design in the delicate lace and embroidery that the region is known for. From lace-wrapped floral vessels to lace-clad guests, the theme was quite literally, woven throughout. This all-white formal gala was a visual nod to the artistic masters of the region, brought to life by many of the artistic masters that make the wedding and event world what it is today.
The evening took place on the Letteria Terrace at Grand Hotel Timeo, A Belmond Hotel. Guests would have hardly recognized the iconic space, it was so completely transformed. After a stroll down a grand outdoor staircase, the dressed-in-all-white attendees were ushered into a lace-dripping marquee through drapes and fabric that welcomed them into what felt like an all-white, open-air ballroom. Before crossing the threshold to dinner, the group walked past an oversized chandelier covered in white florals, perched on the terrace ground outside the tent.
The ceiling dripped with taper candles and layers of fabric and lace.
The tables were adorned with tall tree-like white florals and varying types of lilies. The gilded gold menus atop the place settings added dimension to the monogrammatic color palette. Table numbers were white with gold ornate borders in the branding of Engage! and encased in gold frames on each table. Taper candles sat in gold religious figurine candle holders with lily of the valley sprinkled throughout.
Menus doubled as round gold embossed chargers with a window that opened in the center. Hidden behind the door was the dinner menu. TPD Design House always amazes us with their menus and this was no exception. Elegant napkins were tied with lace trim and placed with circular designs to finish the look. And of course, the linens featured incredibly ornate lace detailing to flow throughout the space. Even some of the floral vessels were wrapped in lace to continue the theme at every turn.
Escort Cards Were Made of Italian Lace.
TPD Diesgn House designed custom escort cards in lace affixed to individual embroidery hoops. They hung on wires wrapped in lace to create an old-world feeling when guests walked up to the stargazer lily and candle-clad outdoor cocktail hour.
Italian Opera serenaded the guests.
The Carrara marble finishings brought the event space to an entirely new level. And the backdrop for the stage was old-world Italian elegance at its finest. The stage, adorned with ornamental details and nods to church altars everywhere, set the scene for a spectacular night of performances.
Elan Artists has been a cornerstone of our Engage! events for the past thirteen years. Their entertainers and musicians are always all-star quality, and sometimes they even bring all-star headliner talent to perform too. What Josh and his team from Elan curated for this gala was equally as amazing as we’ve come to know and expect. Everything from Italian Opera and Italian torch songs to modern dance party faves. Highlights included a surreal White Lotus transition from cocktail hour to dinner and other dance performances from Mambo Italiano to a silent disco choreographed LED dance. Needless to say, there wasn’t a lot of sitting once the sound kicked in.
This gala didn’t need a formal afterparty. We simply changed up the vibe through the entertainment, turning up a silent disco complete with neon-lit dancers. Then we added a show-stopping surprise firework show to end the evening.
Engage!23: The Belmond Sicily Experience was an experience we won’t soon forget. To see more of the three days of wedding and event inspiration, visit our galleries. And thank you to everyone who participated, attended, and made it happen through thousands of hours of creative work, mastery in design, and vision that we didn’t think possible until we all witnessed it come to life together.
